Whiskey Lullaby
by Lingering Wind
Summary: She broke his heart, and from there they went their separate ways. Supposedly she moved on, and he gave up on her. The more they tried to drink away each other's memories, the more they realized they still meant the world to each other. ZeLink oneshot.


**I originally wasn't going to post this for quite some time but since I won't be able to update _Blown Away_ very much for a while, I guess this is sort of a thing to keep people entertained. **

**This story is done in three parts. It will swap from Link's Point of View (P.O.V) to Zelda's for the first two parts. The last will be done in third person.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda or Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, the song this fan fic is somewhat based on/inspired by.  
**

* * *

**Part One**

**-Link's P.O.V.-**

_Pit-pat! _I toss pebbles at the window several feet above me. Curtains open and my friend runs out to her balcony, looking down at me.

"Are you ready to go?" I greets her with a smile.

"Sure, meet me at the front gate." She turns around and begins heading for her room.

"Wait," Zelda pauses mid-step. "Jump."

Automatically she turns around, "Link, you're insane!"

"I'll catch you," I reassure her. Zelda swallows hard, then stands on the railing. A gust of wind catches her off guard and she loses her footing. Her eyes shut, but the impact she expects never comes. I gaze into her baby blue eyes once she opens them. "Are you alright?"

"More or less." Her pale completion turns bright pink. "C-can you let me down?"

"Oh," I come to the sudden realization that I'm still holding her. I put her down, both of us now almost at eye level. (Me being a couple inches taller in comparison). I whistle a repetitive three note tune and galloping can be heard in the distance. Seconds later, a red-brown and white horse makes its way in front of them. I mounts, then holds out a hand towards Zelda. She takes it, and then I gingerly helps her get onto the horse. A gentle kick to the side gets the horse moving.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going yet?" Zelda asks over the constant rumbling sound made by the horse's hooves as it moves.

I shrug, "I don't know where we're going... Do you, Epona?" The horse tosses its head to the side briefly. Zelda sighs while trying not to laugh at me.

"At least give me a hint!" She whines.

"It's somewhere you love." I give in after allowing the ride to become somewhat silent for a few moments.

Zelda groans, "A _real _hint!"

"That is a hint." I chuckle, seeing my answer annoys her.

"Fine, a different hint... Like a description of the place."

"Sorry Princess, not happening." I shake my head, blonde locks momentarily in my face.

"You're so mean..." Zelda pouts. Eventually she gets over it and leans on my back. I sigh with the realization she fell asleep. Constantly I end up looking back to make sure Zelda isn't slipping off of the horse. That task isn't a problem, but the silence is rather unsettling compared to what I'm used to while with her. Soon more sounds accompany the galloping: wind chimes and running water.

"Hey, if you want to see where we are, you might want to wake up." I gently nudge her.

"Huh?" Zelda groggily looks around. The sight is enough to wake her up and she gasps, "The lake!"

I snicker as I'm hugged from behind, "I thought I was mean." She ignores the side comment and breaks from the hug.

"Why are we here, anyways? We never come here anymore..." Zelda trails off while dismounting Epona.

I could swear there's a lump in my throat, but despite that I bite my lip. "Zelda... Could we talk for a minute?" This catches her off guard, but despite that she nods. "Your father was asked to send someone to Termina for reinforcements or else the war is going to get out of hand..."

"So you're...leaving..."I nod, seeing a pain-filled glint appear in her eyes.

"I'll be back soon enough though, I promise." Zelda's begins to tear up.

"W-When are you leaving?" She asks in a quivery voice.

I swallow, "...Tomorrow morning." By then she can't even look me in the eye, and simply looks down for a second. Zelda just sits under the willow that she and I would always play under when we were little. I sit next to her, but choose against saying anything. All of a sudden she buries her face in my shirt. "What's wrong...?" I ask in a hushed manner.

"I'm scared..." She mutters. "Of all people I don't want to lose you..."

"Like I said... I'll be back. Then I'll be by your side for as long as you want me around." I look up at the sky, decorated with an arrangement of colors signifying sunset. I stand up and hold out a hand to her, "we should get back. I don't think it would make sense if the birthday girl doesn't even show up to her own party on time." I halfheartedly joke while helping Zelda up.

The ride back to the castle is silent but unlike the first time, I expected that once I told her the news. Soon enough we're near her bedroom window again. "Um... Will you be here later?"

"Yeah," I nod. "I'd feel bad if I declined the invite. I just have to go home to get into something more presentable than this old thing." I gesture to my shirt and baggy pants, along with my dirt covered boots. I look up at her to see she's already on a branch in the tree, ready to go back onto the balcony. "I'll see you later." I get on my saddle and then ride off. The woods aren't a problem to navigate through despite it being dark by the time I reach them. Eventually I stop after entering a less tree-populated area. Dismounting and then walking for a couple of minutes, I eventually approach a ladder. I come into my house as quick as I leave. Again I mount Epona, and then ride out of the forest. The Castle Town isn't as busy as usual, the richest families gone to the castle to attend the 'ball'... or so it was called in the invitation that was overly formal. In essence it's a party, so I could care less for the official terms.

"Link, it's a pleasure to see you here on this fine night." An elderly woman walks past the guards in front of the castle entrance. I get off of Epona and hand her reins to a stable keeper.

I bow to her. "Same to you, Queen Tetra."

A grin appears on her wrinkled, tan skin. "You can stop with the formalities, Link. You've been a close friend to Zelda for a long time. You're practically family." I glance at her, astonished how highly she thinks of me. This whole time I would never really talk to her, my main reason for visiting the castle to see Zelda or discuss business with her father- Tetra's son who she had passed the throne to a long time ago.

"A-Alright." I manage to reply after several moments. _"You're practically family." _The words echo at the back of my head as I glance down at a compartment on my bag that's strapped to my waist.

She chuckles, "I suppose I should let you get going."

"Very well." I begin to walk past her, into the main room in the castle.

"Link," I stop midway and debate turning around. "Life is too short to leave things unsaid or done. If you're sure of how you feel on something, don't give it a second thought."

"Thank you." I mutter, giving her a nod before going my own way as I navigate through the small crowd of people in order to get to a specific room in the castle.

I know I've found it when I reach a heavy, large door with the faint sound of music coming from the other side. Considering how loud the music becomes when I enter, the door was made thick for a reason. It would echo down the halls if otherwise. I go past quite a few people dressed to the nines in comparison to me in the tunic I rarely wear. I look around- no sign of her. The music dies down after a few moments. Everyone stops conversing, and turns their heads in a certain direction. On top of the staircase I see Zelda, clad in a dark blue-purple dress and her hair pulled back a bit with a rose tucked behind her left ear. She comes down the steps and next thing I know, the majority of occupants in the room are crowding her. Instead of trying to travel through the sea of people to talk to her, I take a seat at an unoccupied table. It's not so surprising she's the center of attention, stuff like this tends to happen when we hang out anyways. I guess that's what I get for being close with a princess, but it was bound to happen since our parents were friends long before we were around.

"Hello." I snap out of my thoughts and glance at the shadowy figure against the wall.

"Impa," I grin at her. "Nice to see you. How have you been?"

"Alright. How about you? I heard you were going to the front lines..." She gives me a questioning glance, as if re-thinking her choice of bringing the subject up. I sigh while nodding. "Did you tell her?"

"...Yeah..." My eyes flicker from the ground to Impa, to Zelda, and back.

"Oh..." Impa trails off. "I wish you good luck in returning."

"Thank you." I attempt to use a happier-sounding voice, but I fail miserably. For a few minutes I look at the table out of boredom, and then I'm pulled by the back of my shirt's collar out of my seat. "Hey! What the-" I turn around and see Impa with a mischievous smirk on her face. She whistles loud enough it should get the attention of the crowd. Surprisingly they're oblivious to it, all but one person. I make eye contact with _her. _She navigates through the sea of people and ends up a couple feet away from me. Impa pushes me from behind and I nearly ram into Zelda. I give Impa a 'gee thanks a lot' look and then turn back to Zelda. "S-Sorry." I feel my face becoming red by the second.

"It's fine." She looks away sheepishly for a moment.

I regain my posture and then hold out a hand to her. "Care to dance?" I say in an obviously fake and overdone 'proper' tone. She nods, taking my hand. Thankfully the crowd has dispersed into smaller groups, the most common being a few couples on the dance floor. We dance along with the gentle tone of the music, little by little the world stands still and fades into the background. When I finally don't pay attention to my surroundings we stop dancing, she leans in and it results in a kiss. I use my free hand to open the compartment I've kept handy. Her eyes open and she automatically takes notice of the ring. Great, I manage to do that but I can't speak for some reason...

"L-Link?" She stutters in a low voice. I nod, understanding what she's asking about. We go back to dancing to keep the attention away from us. Zelda swallows hard, "you better come back after tomorrow or so help me Din..."

I grin and shake my head. "You're bad at sounding threatening... you do realize that, right?" She rolls her eyes at that comment. "...So I take the comment as a yes?" Zelda looks away from me and then nods, her face a bright red. After that, the party goes by rather quickly.

_-Time Skip-_

"Do you really have to leave now? It's so early in the morning and-"

I cut Zelda off, "Yes... It's a day's trip and I need to get there as soon as I can."

She looks down at the ground. "A-Alright... I guess this is good bye?" I put my finger on her chin and gently make her look up, the tears going down her face now visible.

"Good bye _for now_." I correct her with a confident smile. "I'll be back." I jump off her balcony, the sunrise briefly blinding me.

"You better... I'll wait for you until then, remember that!" Zelda calls as I get Epona to move. I nod, a small voice in the back of my head giving me the wake up call I could end up not keeping my promise...

**-Zelda's P.O.V.-**

"Princess, it's a pleasure to see you." He walks in with a grin.

"Hello Shad," I greet him, trying to avoid sounding annoyed. Seven years and the darn suitor won't give up on me... Seven years and _he _still hasn't come back. What a wonderful mess I'm in, it's a wonder I haven't lost my mind yet.

"You must really enjoy this courtyard... I can see why. The flowers are as beautiful and delicate as you." Shad leans on the balcony railing and glances at me while I'm on the tree branch I'm so fond of. I don't waste my breath on him or his comment. He sighs, "I realize you're still waiting on Link but you need to be aware of the fact he could very well not come back..." My grip on the branch increases and my nails dig into the bark. I glance down at my feet. I don't want to accept the possibility... Not yet. I've been called childish for such a mindset as this but I don't care. "If it's the case... please consider giving me a chance. I apologize for pestering you... I mean I know you don't feel the same way but you mean a lot to me. We've known each other for years... and honestly I've liked you for a long time." I look at him to see his face becoming red. I just nod and then look at the courtyard below me. He gets me on the worst subject he can, then confesses to me _again_... Though this time it seemed more believable- for him anyways.

"Princess? It's urgent..." Impa walks onto the balcony, honestly making me wonder how so many people get access to my room... mainly Shad in this case. I look at her with a raised eyebrow. "It's about your father..."

I stand up on the branch and then go back onto the balcony in a not-so-graceful manner. "What about him?" My throat starts to hurt and my eyes sting as I look up at Impa, who refuses to look me in the eye. I brush past Shad and Impa and then head down the hall to my father's room. Two guards stand in my way. "Let me in."

"P-Princess..." One of them trails off.

"I said let me in!" I raise my voice as I look at them with my blurred vision, tears in my eyes. They finally move out of my way and then I open the door. "F-Father...?" He says something but he's too quiet to hear. Then he motions for me to come closer. I walk across the cold marble floor with my bare feet despite the fact I usually get lectured for that.

"Zelda..." I sit at the end of his bed. "My time is short... I know it's sudden... but I'd like you to find someone... I know you've waited for Link to come... I should have told you earlier... He's missing in action... Chances are he's gone..." I blink away the tears that threaten to fall. "I'm sorry for the lateness..." I shake my head. He continues in his shaky and weak voice, "as of today you are the official ruler of Hyrule..." The gentle rise and fall of the blanket over him as he breathes stops.

I know he's gone and I can't bare to look at him. I stand up and then run out of the door, past the guards, then straight into my room. The balcony doors are shut now and there's no sign of Impa or Shad... thankfully. I lay down on my bed and hide under the blankets. It feels like I got pulled down faster than a sunset. I see no point anymore... If my father and Link's gone I have almost no one.

"I don't know what to do anymore!" I yell into my pillow as it eventually ends up wet with tears. Moments later I get the motivation to get out of bed. Opening the top drawer of my bedside table, I glance at a picture of Link and I. I grab it and then sit on my bed again. "I waited seven years and you still aren't back like you promised... instead I hear you're missing in action- in fact I hear it in my father's dying words! Darn it Link, I miss you! The last thing I wanted to hear is you're gone!" My grip on the picture frame tightens as I think back to the day he told me he was going to leave.

_"Like I said... I'll be back. Then I'll be by your side for as long as you want me around." _Link's voice echoes in the back of my mind.

"So much for that when you aren't back when I want you by my side..." Instead of bothering to act like I wasn't crying a few seconds ago, I go outside without a care in the world. Scaling down the tree, I eventually reach ground level. I go to the only rose bush in the entire garden. Next to it is a stone... where my grandmother was buried four years ago. I sigh, "if you were here right now you'd know what to do..."

"She may not be here, but I know you have good judgement like she did." I hear Impa come up from behind me. I turn around. "Sorry... I intended on leaving you alone for a while but I didn't honestly think you would come out here."

I shake my head no while looking at the ground, "it's fine..."

_-Time Skip-_

I look out the large window to see the beautiful day, almost mocking me. Birds chirp and the occasional breeze could seem comforting at first. But as soon as I turn around, the image of a peaceful and happy day is gone. All that's left is me, a casket, and the roses placed near it. It's been three days since I last heard the voice of my father. As soon as this casket is six feet under, I'll never see him again. For some reason, I'm not as sad as I possibly should be... I suppose. All I have left to say is good bye, the last word I'll ever say to him. Truth be known I have so many words to say. So many I'll never get to.

I run my gloved hand across the hard wood case that holds him. Absentmindedly open the top half. I can't hold back any tears once I see his face, just as it had been in his final breath. A smile. For someone who was about to die, he used his final moments in a strange way. Everyone in the kingdom one way or another is mourning for him, and yet he looks so happy...

A knock at the door snaps me out of my thoughts and I wipe the tears from my eyes before answering. "My deepest apologies for your loss..." Shad bows. I feel like I'm going to lose the calm act once he uses the term 'loss'. I can't look him in the eye and instead look at the ground as an alternative. Even then, my eyes begin to sting again and I try to blink the tears away. When I can't do that, I'm taken by surprise when I'm pulled into a hug. Abandoning the idea of acting unshaken by the entire situation I accept his embrace. "Are you alright?" I shake my head no as a response, my face still buried in his shirt. "Zelda?"

"W-what?" My throat burns as I speak, but it encourages me to get over myself and look at Shad instead of the floor or something.

"I know this is a bad time to be asking this but..."

* * *

**Part Two**

**-Link's P.O.V.-**

Epona tosses her head feverishly and neighs at the familiar sight of Hyrule Field. We're back home. The sunlight ends up directly in my eyes, so I use my hand to block it. What to do first, go home or to the castle? I look around. Hyrule Castle being farther, I decide to head into town near the woods.

"L-Link!?" A guard backs into the wooden fence over the sign that says 'Kakariko Village'. He takes off his helmet. "I-Is that you!?"

I raise an eyebrow, "something wrong, Pipit?" His face becomes pale rather quickly.

Pipit gives me a questioning look, almost like a double take to ensure it's me. "I thought you were dead."

At this point I can't focus on keeping Epona still so I dismount and send her off, knowing she'll go home. "What the fire temple gave you that idea?" Another glance at the ground somehow gets me worried about my supposed death confirmation.

"Nothing," He shakes his head. "It's just... I haven't seen you in almost eight years. I figured you died in battle..."

"... Gee, thanks." I counter his assumption and cold reminder with my dry sense of humor. Taking it that the conversation is over, I walk into the village. Nothing has really changed, other than the apparent increase in population in the village. There's the occasional uproar of laughter from children while they torment cuccos, but otherwise it's relatively silent. The tavern being closed until nightfall and the games crowded, I decide to head to the woods.

Same as usual-undisturbed and peaceful- unlike the battle field I've grown accustomed to. As I open the door to my house, it's obvious I've been gone for a long time. The furniture is dusty and not to mention the fact the windows barely let any light through. I rub the glass of a certain picture frame and I'm greeted with an old memory. I have mixed feelings on going to Hyrule Castle. Go now, or make Zelda wait for me another day? "Zelda..." My gaze goes to the hard wood floor. "I'm sorry." Then I shake my head no. "...Might as well say that to her face rather than to an old picture."

_-Time Skip-_

Same avoidable guard shifts- no surprise there. If Pipit's reaction to me being alive was as messed up as I remember I would prefer not to let anyone else know... yet. I look at the almost-night sky. "Dang it... If I took Epona I would've been faster..." I mutter to myself under my breath. Sighing, I go up against a wall just as a guard becomes close enough I could be visible. Almost to the courtyard, finally. The closer I get, I actually hear the faint sound of laughter- Zelda if I had to guess. Hiding behind statues in the center of each section in the courtyard path and then in the occasional bush to get closer to the main courtyard, I evade the guards' view. I bite my tongue when I trip over something and into a rose bush. Staying still for a moment, I evaluate that I apparently wasn't heard.

When my brain cooperates again I move a bit to the side to see what I tripped on: a tombstone? Moving part of the bush that's blocking the entire thing, I see the only explanation I can get- Queen Tetra's name engraved into it. "I'm sorry..." I whisper before I stand up and advance towards the courtyard, farther from the tombstone. Finally I enter the main courtyard. I freeze in my tracks, seeing Zelda kissing a man who's on her balcony with her. The two discontinue and then she sees me.

"L-Link!?" Tears come to her eyes immediately. Automatically I turn around and leave, without a word. I want an explanation, badly... but I chose against trying to get one. I could put the blame on her for not waiting for me, but the blame is truly with the fact I took to long to come back. From the looks of it she's moved on. At this point I don't care if the guards see me. I whistle Epona's Song and then I leave faster than I came. Part of me regrets leaving like that, but what else was I supposed to do? One stupid move and I'd be dealt with by the patrolling guards, not to mention I haven't seen Impa at all up to this point. Not that it matters anymore, but I'd prefer not to seem like a veteran-apparently-pronounced-dead who broke into the castle and then lost their temper. It wouldn't help my situation at all nor would I have a reason to be so mad.

Epona goes back on her hind legs and nearly dismounts me, "Settle." I try to get her to stop resisting my steering of the reins. Despite my grip, I end up falling off her and she gallops away. The action results in me being drenched thanks to Epona and her usage of Lake Hylia. Disregarding that, I stand up and then walk over to the willow. My legs decide to quit on me and I lay in the grass, looking up at the leaves that are relatively in my reach if I were to get up again. One look at the tree's trunk and the episode of me telling Zelda about my departure plays through my mind for the millionth time within the past seven years. The knife that seemed to stab me whenever I thought back to that day became a sword the moment I returned to the castle. "If I hadn't left... Things would be different." I murmur with the slightest hint of bitterness in my voice.

_ "Life is too short to leave things unsaid or done. If you're sure of how you feel on something, don't give it a second thought." _My fist slams into the bark of the tree as I recall the last thing Tetra had said to me. A crimson liquid starts to run down my fingers afterwards. I sigh before calling for Epona.

"I was stupid to come back here..." I look at the willow one more time before turning around and mounting Epona.

_-Time Skip-_

"Hey! Mister! We're closed. Get outta here." I'm awakened from my nap on the counter, lots of empty glass cups next to me.

Continually I'm still being shook despite the fact I'm awake. "Awright, awright! I'm up!" I slam a gold rupee on the counter and then stand up, staggering to the side before running into some tables. Finally I make my way to the door. Navigating through my spinning world with my uncooperative legs, I finally make it back to the forest. With trembling hands I climb the ladder up to my house and I open the door after fiddling with the keys for a while. When I open the door, a picture frame faced down on the table grabs my attention. I grab it for a moment but when I see the picture I remember why I had it that way in the first place. My grip tightens until I actually break the frame. Glass shards become embedded into my hands, but it isn't the cause of the pain I feel. I can't bring myself to crumple up the picture- or at the least rip it. Something catches my eye and results in me getting on my knees to find an old piece of paper.

Unfolding it, I see handwriting that's barely legible due to the smearing of lead.

"_Link... out of curiosity, do you like Princess Zelda? -Pipit" _Looking down I see my own familiar, sloppy handwriting. _"I'll love her til I di" _The 'e' not being present in the word because we ripped the paper accidentally, thinking Professor Owlan was catching on to our note passing in the middle of class. _  
_

I nearly drop the note. Granted it's is over ten years old. But looking at the still-not-ripped picture I realize to this day that statement is true. No matter how bad it hurts to the point I wish it wasn't true, I love her... Despite the incident at the castle two years ago, I could get drunk repeatedly and I still remember her as the one I fell in love with.

I grab a few bottles of whiskey from my cellar and I go to my room. After sitting there drinking them, I try to stand up. My legs feel so heavy it's as if they were replaced with lead. Holding onto the note, the same old note that made me realize the truth, I finally give up.

**Zelda's P.O.V.**

A million thoughts go through my head when I see the familiar wooden box through my blurred vision. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." I whisper, tears going down my face.

"Link was a good man who served our country in desperate times back in the war several years ago. Appointed by the late king, he succeeded in the goal of leading Hyrule to victory. Without him, triumph may have been just a dream that never would have become reality..." Sahasrahla, a sage stationed at the Temple of Time makes note of. The rest of the speech I drown out and instead I look at the willow. It almost looks exactly like it did before. However now there's a spot where there's no bark. It's stained red. Impa told me she followed him that day, when I found out he was alive after all. According to her, he rode off to the lake. The bark-less red spot is where he punched the trunk of the tree. The only words Impa heard him say for sure: 'If I hadn't left... Things wouldn't be different.'

_No Link... _I want to go back in time and tell him. _If I waited for you then things would be different. If I didn't automatically assume you were dead that day, when my father died... It's all my fault... I'm sorry Link. I'm sorry I didn't believe you would come back, I'm sorry that I acted foolishly like a child and believed what I was told without questioning it, I'm sorry you aren't here right now to hear what I want to say to you... _By now I don't think I can it anymore. I feel like going insane, not having any reason to keep going with this. I can say sorry all I want but I'll never know if he'd forgive me or not. I can live my life and just assume that I'm forgiven, but then there's the possibility the rest of my life would be nothing but me lying to myself.

My thoughts are disrupted when I'm nudged on the shoulder by Sahasrahla. "You have a few minutes to be alone, if you wish..." He whispers to me. I simply nod, not feeling like speaking. Just as he said, I'm left alone with the casket. When I lift the top part so I can see his face, I take notice of something in his hand... a piece of paper? Gently I take it from his cold, lifeless fingers. When I unfold it and read the contents for myself, I drop the note. I fall to my knees and I just sit there in the grass, next to the casket with the paper within my reach. I can't grab it again. If I were to read it again...

"Zelda." Sahasrahla gains my attention and I get back up on my feet. He gives a final word, and then Link is buried underneath the willow...

_-Time Skip-_

"Get out." I glare at Shad. He stays there, sitting on the edge of the bed as I stand near the dresser.

"Please Zelda, I was asking what was wrong." He pleads, as if oblivious to the situation.

"... What's wrong is that I didn't believe him. What's wrong is that I actually said yes when you had the nerve to propose to me the day of my father's funeral. Whats's wrong is he's gone and you don't understand!" I yell at the top of my lungs, tears threatening to pour.

"Who's 'he'? Your Father?" My eyes widen at how stupid he truly is right now. I shake my head no and then I grab a pillow.

"Get out!" I hit him with it in the back of the head. Shad stands up. "I said get out!" I hit him multiple times for good measure and when he finally leaves I lock the door. "Ignorant moron..." I murmur, opening the top drawer of my dresser and then grab a bottle of alcohol and a picture. Not once has anyone caught me with it, not even Shad.

I sit on the bed. Opening the bottle up, I take a drink. Then I look at the picture. I still recognize Link. I take another drink, this time I consume as much as I can bear in one go. I look at the picture. I still miss him. I drink the rest of the bottle, then look at the picture. I still love him. I let go of the bottle, but cling on to the picture. The memories of before the one I love was buried six feet under, because of me.

* * *

**Part Three**

**Third Person**

"Zelda? Are you alright?" Shad knocks on the door. No answer. He knocks again, harder and harder until he's practically banging on the door. "Zelda!" He calls to the other side of the door.

"What's wrong?" The silver haired, red eyed Sheikah appears behind him.

"She... she won't answer the door and I know she's in there. Zelda just told me to get out. I figured she was mad and I'd let her cool down a bit."Impa knocks on the door.

"Princess?" No answer. As a last resort she breaks down the door. There she lay, on the bed. A glass bottle on the ground, and in her hands the picture of her and Link. Approaching Zelda, the smell of whiskey becomes more and more noticeable. Impa gently turns her head so it isn't in the pillow and then puts two fingers on Zelda's neck. No pulse.

"Is she...?" Shad trails off. Reluctantly, Impa shakes her head no and then looks at her face. Zelda's eyes are shut but tears threaten to fall. Despite that, there's a smile on her face.

* * *

_Looking at the ground, she debates on coming closer. Her baby blue eyes widen at the sight of a familiar tunic clad young man. She's frozen in her tracks until he holds out a hand to her. For the first time in a long time she bursts into tears- out of happiness. The two exchange a grin and she runs to him. Each twirl seems to take them further and further back in time. Back before the Angels sang a Whiskey Lullaby._


End file.
